Host:
Greetings, viewers. Paying my respects to Shantikunj Ma Bama Tara, I begin today's episode. I welcome new friends to the Guptasadhu Shyama Kapa YouTube channel and request our old friends to stay with us. Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru:
Yes, speak.
Host:
Today, it suddenly occurred to you, Gurudev, to speak about Mahishasura Mardini (Goddess Durga). Why you chose to speak of her now is still unknown to us. We would like to hear it from your own mouth.
Guru:
Yes, you want to know about Mother Durga. I have spoken much before, and I will say it again. Mother Durga is the destroyer of durgati (misery/distress). She who destroys distress is Durga. We remember her for the removal of distress and for no other reason. We call the Mother by various names. First, we call her Narayani, the presiding deity of Narayana. Then Dakshayani, the daughter of Daksha. After that, we call her Katyayani, the daughter of Sage Katyayan. The Mother is primarily addressed by these three names. There is also Shivani, the wife of Shiva, and many others, but we focus on these three.
Guru:
Mother was in the ashram of Sage Katyayan as his daughter, which is why she is called Katyayani. She is Dakshayani as the daughter of Daksha, and Narayani as the presiding deity of Narayana. She is worshipped, offered flowers, and water using these three names.
Guru:
The main work of Durga is nothing but destroying distress. That is why Ramprasad Sen was advised by many to chant the name of Durga when he was in a very poor state. In those days, people went to many sages to seek help. He was told, "Look, there is only one way open: chant Durga's name, then your dangers will be averted." He chanted the name of Durga for many days but saw no result. Then he wrote in his poetry: "Day and night I float in the name of Durga, yet my pile of sorrows did not end. If I die, Oh Harasundari (Beautiful Wife of Shiva), no one will take the name of Durga again."
Guru:
Different people have seen Mother Durga in different ways. Now it has become a matter of Tantra practice. Now the focus has shifted more toward Kali, Tara, and the ten Mahavidyas. Everyone leans more toward that side and not so much toward Mother Durga. But the root is Mother Durga.
Guru:
If you go to Tarapith, the form of Tara seated there is Mother Durga herselfâUgratara. She is Durga herself. And above the Mother's temple door, there is a picture of Mahishasura Mardini, showing the Mother slaying the demon. Everything has emerged from Mother Durga. This is what people do not understand.
Guru:
Wherever the body parts of Durga fellâthe 51 Peethasâyou know that the 51 parts of Sati's body fell there. In all 51 Peethas, Goddess Dakshina Kali is worshipped; Durga is not worshipped in any of those places. This is a surprising thing. Wherever you go, Kali is worshipped. In every place where the Mother's body parts fell, there is Kali Puja, but no mention of Durga Puja. This is a strange thing. Why Kali Puja?
Guru:
I think Durga changed her kosh (cells/form) and became Kali; she became Kaushiki. That is the worship that happens. According to the agreement with Mahadeva, she changed her form. That is why one of Mother Durga's names is Kaushiki. She has 64 names, the 64 Yoginis. She is worshipped and called by various names. The 64 Yoginis are the core. The main worship of Durga is the worship of the 64 Yoginis. Ramakrishna used to say that he who worships the 64 Yoginis will attain the Mother very quickly. He said this repeatedly. To attain Siddhi (perfection), the worship of the 64 Yoginis is required.
Host:
Gurudev, you mentioned "changing form" just now. We find a reference to this in the Adharini Tantra.
Guru:
Yes, yes, speak. Ordinary people do not know these things. There are many deep truths that we do not want to say, nor is it proper to say. But everything has emerged from Mother Durga. Whether you say Kali, Tara, or the ten Mahavidyas, all emerged from Durga. That is why before performing Kali Puja, one must perform Durga Puja. Kali Puja cannot be done without Durga Puja. Again, to do Durga Puja, one must perform Kali Puja. They are inextricably linked.
Guru:
When we offer Anjali (prayer offerings) to the Mother, we say: "Kali Kali Mahakali, Kalike Papoharini, Dharma-Artha-Mokshade Devi Narayani Namostute." We are speaking of Kali while offering Anjali to Durga. Many people ask me why Kali's name is there during Durga Puja. I explained the matter to them, and they were silenced. Kali and Durga are deeply connected. If we analyze the mantras properly, we can understand many things. But we don't do that. We just say Durga is Durga, Kali is Kali, and Tara is Tara. But if you analyze the mantras, you will understand what we are doing and whom we are calling.
Guru:
Look, this region of ours is a field of Tantra and the field of Shiva-Durga. This is called the Shiva-Durga field. The South is the field of Narayana. On the other side, where Brahma isâPushkarâis the field of Lord Brahma. There are three fields: Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar. Lord Brahma is in Pushkar; Mother Saraswati and Savitri are worshipped there. The South is where Lakshmi-Narayana is worshipped; they believe in that strongly. And we here worship Shiva-Durga. This is the Shiva-Durga field because Kalighat is here. This is called the Kali field or the Durga field. Tantra practice is very effective here. You won't find such an open place for Tantra anywhere else. West Bengal is the Kali field or Durga field.
Host:
Gurudev, why did you feel like talking about Durga at this unusual time?
Guru:
Oh, a few days ago, a young man came from Siliguri. His wish was to bring an idol of Durga for me to perform the Pran Pratishtha (consecration). He brought the idol, I performed the ceremony this morning, and he is taking it back today. After the ceremony, in the afternoon, I felt like saying something about the Mother. Sometimes I feel a great urge to speak about her.
Guru:
To tell you the truth, I have performed Durga Puja many timesâsixty times. I am 76 years old, and I have been performing Durga Puja for 60 years without ever skipping a year. Because of that, I love the Mother dearly. I love Durga. Leave Kali and Tara aside for a momentâI know the whole matter. But everything is Durga. Everything is created from Durga.
Guru:
We go to Tarapith; the Ugratara we see is also Mother Durga. The other seven or eight Taras are also parts of the Mother. I was reading somewhere that the Mother was created by Krishna. It said Krishna is complete with 16 kalas and he created all the gods and goddesses. I read it, and it felt good, though I couldn't entirely accept it. Still, it felt good to read that all the deities we worship are his creation. It might be so, I don't know, but it was interesting.
Host:
Gurudev, thank you so much for speaking about Durga at this time. You were thinking of something else, but we felt as if you were performing an untimely Durga Puja today.
Guru:
No, no, it's not untimely. Durga can be worshipped at any time. In my mind, I always worship Mother Durga. I don't even need a book. I might need a book for the Chandi Path (recitation), but for worshipping Mother Durga, I don't need one. I can do it serially. I have it all memorized. That's why I love Durga Puja so much. I love Mother Durga intensely. That doesn't mean I don't love Kali or Tara. But I love Durga in a special way because I have seen her from the insideâwhat she is, her activities, her power. I have seen it all and reached the conclusion that Durga is everything. She is the destroyer of all distress.
Guru:
We say "Durg" or "Dum Durgaye Namah" during the Homa (fire ritual). We say: "Jayanti Mangala Kali Bhadrakali Kapalini, Durga Shiba Kshama Dhatri Svaha Svadha Namostute. Om Hrim Durgaye Namah, Durge Durge Rakshani Svaha, Om Namah Shivaya." We recite this mantra during large-scale fire rituals. The Shiva-Durga Homa is done with this mantra. In West Bengal, the fire rituals always involve Shiva and Durga. It sounds beautiful, and the heart feels as if Durga Puja has arrived. It feels peaceful, not fierce.
Guru:
Although she is known as Ugratara in Tarapith, her fierceness is nowhere to be seen. She is peaceful. "Ati Saumya Ati Raudra..." It is said she is as peaceful as she is fierce. We like her peaceful form. We don't need the fierce form, but we use the fierce form for worship; it's called the Rudra Chandi puja.
Guru:
Mother is the wielder of ten weapons. When Durga was fighting the demon Mahishasura, the gods gave her ten weapons and adorned her before the battle. The gods stood above and watched the battle, showering her with flowers. Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar were there. They discussed that the Mother did not have a trident. A trident signifies destruction. To destroy, she needed it. Mahadeva said, "You are right. Mother cannot destroy; she is not of a destructive nature." Then they decided she must become destructive for this task. Mahadeva threw his trident to the Mother and said, "Slay Mahishasura with this. Otherwise, you will never be able to slay him." And so it happened. Mother took the trident and struck the demon's chest.
Guru:
The demon was defeated, but look at what happened. After such a battle, Mahishasura folded his hands and said, "Mother, do not hold my offenses against me. When you come to Earth, bring me with you." Mother said, "Let it be so." See, the Mother is a mother. While others might speak twice, a mother is of one word. After such a battle, she accepted his prayer. Today, whenever Mother comes to Earth, Mahishasura comes with her.
Guru:
And the Lion is her vehicle. We say: "Vajra Nakha Damstra-ayudhaya Maha-Simhaya Hum Phat Svaha Namah." The lion's claws are like thunderbolts, so powerful. The lion comes, and Mahishasura comes whenever the Mother comes. This is the essence of the Mother. She is extremely peaceful. Whoever calls her will find her. These people asked me to consecrate the idol, and I was very happy. It was like food for my soul. They will take the Mother and leave tonight at 10:00 PM for Siliguri. It felt very good.
Host:
We heard your discourse and your recitation today, Gurudev, and it was mesmerizing. I hope our viewers are mesmerized as well. Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru:
Pranam.